Throwback Thursday: Grab Your Mics Part 3
Photo: Source Music/HYBE
Have you ever heard a song and known the lyrics word for word? When the rap verse starts, are you keeping up with the rapper? Do you believe you could join the group the way you are keeping up? It is such a fun experience, and there are so many tracks with iconic raps in them that we know word for word. So, this is your time to shine; let’s take it back and talk about some tracks that we know like the back of our hands.
ATEEZ - “BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS)”
On June 16, 2023, KQ Entertainment's iconic boy group ATEEZ released their high-energy mini-album, THE WORLD EP.2: OUTLAW. A jam-packed mini-album with six songs, the album is a ball of fire from beginning to end. THE WORLD EP.2: OUTLAW is a mini-album bursting with bold production, and its title track remains one of the group's most electrifying live moments. “BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS)” is a well-known track from ATEEZ, and its impact on live audiences is unmistakable. During concerts or events, the moment the bass-thumping instrumental starts, fans erupt in cheers, matching every ad-lib and straining to keep pace with the track's rapid-fire rap sections and powerful vocal belts. There are moments in the song that bring out a heightened level of screams from fans, and it is such a joy to witness. For example, Mingi’s “S-O-N-G M-I-N-G-I” and the beginning with members Mingi, Hongjoong, and Seonghwa's iconic intro, “What you gonna say? Sit back and relax, man. Don’t you wanna bet, man? I got time, but it’s not for you, bro. Don’t you realize what I’m saying? What you gonna do? Ay, let’s go.” It’s such a fun song, and as a listener, you can’t help but sing along.
LE SSERAFIM - “ANTIFRAGILE”
On October 17, 2022, LE SSERAFIM released their mini-album ANTIFRAGILE. The release blends bright synth-pop production with soulful vocal layering across its five tracks. Packed with five songs, the EP is a joy to listen to from beginning to end. The title track, “ANTIFRAGILE,” is bass-driven, with a danceable instrumental and addictive lyrics. The moment fans hear that opening, “Anti-ti-ti-ti-fragile, fragile. Anti-ti-ti-ti-fragile. Anti-ti-ti-ti-fragile, fragile. Antifragile, antifragile,” they can’t help but sing along. There are so many iconic parts in this song, and that makes it even more fun to join in as if they are a part of the group. Some examples are lines like “Lovey, lovey, lovey, dovey, dovey, dovey,” and “We can break it, baby. Rock it, twist it, lock it, baby. All I know is you can’t chain me. ‘Cause I’m gonna break out, gonna, gonna break out, baby–.” The song is amusing, and when it plays, everyone is on their feet, ready to sing along.
Girls’ Generation - “I Got a Boy”
On January 1, 2013, iconic girl group Girls’ Generation released their jam-packed album The 4th Album ‘I Got a Boy’. Filled with tracks that will have all listeners up on their feet, each track sustains the album's upbeat, genre-blending momentum. The title track for the album, “I Got a Boy,” is one of the most recognizable K-Pop songs to date. From the opening “Ay-yo GG–,” every listener is ready to sing along. The song's genre-jumping structure — shifting from hip-hop verses to bubblegum pop choruses — set a new standard for K-Pop production at the time of its release. The choreography is memorable and stands out, and the lyrics are addictive, grabbing every listener's attention. Moments like “Oh, oh, oh, eh, oh–,” “Ayo, stop. Let me put it down another way,” and “Don’t stop, let’s take it back to 1:40,” are engraved in every listener's mind, and they can’t help but sing along.